Break for a Beat
by Nightengale
Summary: During the Time War The Doctor takes Lady President Romana to see an early Beatles performace, a break for peace and happiness if only for a moment


"This is where we were required to go immediately, as you said?"

Two men in matching black jackets walked by through the dark doorway in front them. A few girls were leaning against the wall outside smoking and glancing at the two of them every now and then.

"It's classic!" The Doctor said, hands in his coat pockets. "Early Earth rock and roll, before it bursts out and there are screaming girls everywhere."

Romana raised an eyebrow at him. "Are you telling me Elvis is in there? You know very well he wasn't human. And as I recall he had plenty of screaming girls around him in any case."

"Would I take you to see Elvis in Liverpool?"

She crossed her arms and raised both eyebrows this time at him. He grinned and raised his back. They stood in dead lock for a moment and Romana could see the girls against the wall watching them. Then the Doctor broke into a smile.

"No, it's not Elvis. You know he's not too fond of me after what I said about 'Hound Dog.' We're in 1961 now-"

"I saw the date," she said cutting him off and pushing hair from her face.

She was still getting used to her new short hair with this incarnation.

The Doctor continued, "This is better. This is the break through before it's broken. This is fresh and new!"

The Doctor took her hand and pulled her toward the night club.

"New to them you mean," Romana muttered but allowed herself to be led through the door.

Inside the first thing Romana noticed was the good quantity of smoke in the air. She instantly started calculating the amount of human toxins and tar which would be lodged in her lungs by the end of this little foray, depending upon how long the Doctor was planning on keeping them there. The second thing she noticed was how many people were crammed into the small space, not to mention how close the ceiling came to all their heads. No wonder the place was called The Cavern Club as it distinctly appeared like an over crowded cavern to her. The third thing she noticed was how loud the music was, clearly due to the confined acoustics of the space.

"If you are trying to test the speed of regeneration after death due to inhalation of human cigarette smoke I would much rather not be part of it, Doctor," she shouted in his ear over the music.

He just snorted at her and wove them through the throngs of dancing people closer to the stage. Jumping about on the stage and occasionally screaming into the microphone were four boys wearing black leather. She turned to the Doctor to see him beaming back at her.

"The Beatles!" he said.

A girl behind the Doctor turned at his words and grinned, "Aren't they Gear? I hear they're German!"

"Great English though, eh?" A boy beside her piped up.

"Oh yes," The Doctor replied to the two, "Wait until you hear 'I Want to Hold You Hand,' you'll love them even more."

The Doctor turned away from their puzzled faces to Romana again. He inclined his head at the four boys on stage and smiled. John was singing loudly into the microphone with Paul along side him. Both were positively dripping with sweat but grinning like maniacs as they sang.

Romana paused, glancing at the stage, then looked at the Doctor again. "That does not appear to be Ringo Starr playing the drums."

"That would be Pete Best," the Doctor said, seemingly impressed at her noticing. "Drummer before the Beatles met Brian Epstien and started recording. He's actually very interesting. I had a long chat with him over some tea once after.... well... that thing wasn't my fault exactly, anyway."

"Doctor," Romana said avoiding a man behind her trying to punch someone.

The Doctor looked down at her, bobbing a bit to the music and still grinning. She gave him a stern look which lessened his grin some.

"Doctor, we have a war on now. I'm the president of Gallifrey. I can't just go running off with you to see The Beatles in their early days and waste the precious time we have."

Suddenly the Doctor put his hands on her shoulders. It felt like the room had stilled and they were an island. They became a center of calm among the moving people and the music seemed to fade. She suddenly remembered his fourth incarnation, the way he would stop, the way he would look when he challenged someone. Now she looked at him and saw the light in him. She remembered why she had gone with him way back then and why she went with him again now when she should have been at her desk, should have been planning battles, should have been strong and in charge.

"That is exactly why we should be here Lady President," he said in all seriousness. "For once we Time Lords really do have little time but there has to be a moment, there has to be just a little time to breathe and relax. We have to remember how to be happy and what it is that we are working to save."

Instantly they smiled in time and the music came back to her, the rich Liverpool accents, banging drums, and classic guitar chords.

"You know, Doctor," She said, "I have to confess there are moments when I quite enjoy the times you are right."

"You mean every time," he replied with a smirk.

"I suppose."

Turning back to face the stage the two Time Lords began to dance. They swayed from side to side, music pounding in their heads. Around them the people were whooping and dancing, smiling and laughing, talking and smoking and drinking and having a perfect night out forgetting about anything that could be wrong in their lives. It reminded Romana of just why the Doctor loved these humans so much; they could bring you hope.

Suddenly Romana realized that she was making eye contact with a member of the band. He was still jumping about and screaming into the standing microphone but his eyes kept turning toward her.

"I see you've got an admirer," The Doctor said into her ear.

Romana refrained from commenting and instead smiled back at the boy on stage. He grinned in response and waved her to come up on the stage. She raised a surprised eyebrow at him and pondered whether this would come back to haunt her. The Doctor nudged her in the side.

"I do believe that John Lennon is trying to get you to go up onto stage at the Cavern Club! Oh, Romana, making history again," he grinned as he spoke.

She turned to the Doctor and shrugged. "He is far too young for me."

"He's just waving you to come up, who knows what he wants," the Doctor spoke innocently but she could see the laughter at the corners of his eyes.

"He is a twenty something human male," she replied.

The Doctor waggled his eyebrows, "Live a little Romana, you can go back to being the president later!"

Looking back at the stage Romana saw John give her a rather wicked grin and she gave in. Pushing past the couple in front of her Romana reached the stage and gracefully stepped up onto it. She heard a few high female squeals of surprise and jealousy over the noise. Standing in front of John she smiled.

"You beckoned?" she said.

"I couldn't let a bird like you stand out there with that git," John said indicating the Doctor.

Romana resisted the urge to laugh and just nodded. Over John's shoulder she saw Paul glancing at her in surprise. She was probably the first girl to be dragged up there, or at least she liked to think that. John put an arm around her middle, sliding her close to him. She nearly giggled.

'Oh god, am I becoming one of those screaming Beatle-maniacs?' Romana thought.

Then she smiled, smiled like she was young again, like she had all the time in the world to play and dance and stand before future famous Earth rock stars. John blinked in surprise and she closed the gap between them. Guitar pressed between them she kissed him suddenly on the mouth, all the fire of her Time Lord soul burning brightly. She felt John tense in surprise and she pulled away before she could hurt him. He stared at her in shock, the look of something she knew, something about the universe ghosting in his eyes.

"Have a fantastic life, John Lennon," she said. "I'll make sure you get to live it along with all the rest. I'll win this war for all of you."

"What?" he replied, looking confused.

Romana just smiled and stepped away from him, Paul's voice singing behind them. Then the music came back to them both, ringing hard and loud in their ears. She stepped off the stage and walked back to where the Doctor was standing still among the dancers. A few girls in the audience were glaring at her from afar but the Doctor was smiling. He looked proud. She stopped in front of the Doctor and took his arm.

"It's time to go home, Doctor."

He just nodded and turned with her toward the door.


End file.
